TRV for non-Canadian wife of non-resident Canadian

[Bud24]

I'm a Canadian Citizen living overseas with my non-Canadian wife. We'd really like to visit Canada so that my family can be meet our new child who was born just before the Covid. I realize that we'd need to apply for a TRV for my wife but would she be allowed to enter Canada? On the application for authorization to visit extended family members there doesn't seem to be a category for in-laws. If I put myself as the Canadian she would not be joining me in Canada and the address field only allows for a Canadian address. Are there any other options?

 

[scylla]

I'm a Canadian Citizen living overseas with my non-Canadian wife. We'd really like to visit Canada so that my family can be meet our new child who was born just before the Covid. I realize that we'd need to apply for a TRV for my wife but would she be allowed to enter Canada? On the application for authorization to visit extended family members there doesn't seem to be a category for in-laws. If I put myself as the Canadian she would not be joining me in Canada and the address field only allows for a Canadian address. Are there any other options?

In-laws are not classified as immediate family members for the purposes of entering Canada while border restrictions are in place. Based on how the rules are set out now, unfortunately I don't believe she would be allowed to enter unless she obtains an authorization letter from IRCC (which is unfortunately far from a slam dunk). She can certainly apply for the TRV now. It will likely take several months to process (everything is slower right now due to COVID-19). So I would go ahead and apply. Once the TRV is approved, you can see where things stand with regards to COVID-19 and border restrictions and determine what is and isn't possible then. So hard to predict where we will be a few months from now given the situation. Might be the same, might have changed by then. Start with the TRV application as a first step.

 

[canuck78]

Getting a TRV may be a huge obstacle so I agree that you should see if you can get a RRV before worrying about travel restrictions.